What do we know about Noma which is a neglected disease that affects people living in poverty?

Well, it’s an infectious but non-contagious bacterial disease that starts as an inflammation of the gums, similar to a small mouth ulcer. The infection destroys the bone and tissue very quickly, affecting the jaw, lips, cheeks, nose or eyes, depending on where the infection started.

Over 427,000 people live in Sokoto, a town in the northwest corner of Nigeria. It is home to a very special place, the Sokoto Noma Hospital. Founded in 1999, it is the only hospital in the country – and one of the few in the world.

Since 2014, Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has been supporting the hospital with a programme of activities for people affected by noma, including noma survivors and their families.

In this edition of WELLBODI, WADR catches up with Survivors of this disease and other actors.